Disability Day of Mourning service March 1 at UUFHC

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Harford County (UUFHC) will hold their second annual Disability Day of Mourning service on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at 7 pm. This event is free and open to the public and will be held at the Fellowship’s home at 2515 Churchville Road Churchville, Maryland.

The Disability Day of Mourning is observed annually on March 1st to commemorate disabled people who have been murdered by their caregivers, especially parents. During the service, the names of folks with disabilities who have been killed by family members or caregivers in the past year will be read aloud. There will be personal stories shared, as well as powerful and pertinent readings and musical selections.

UUFHC began honoring this day last year to commemorate the lives of victims and demand justice and equal protection under the law for all people with disabilities. They open their doors to the community for their services, this event, and many other of their social justice activities. Your presence will add your voice to this powerful display of support of disability justice.

First observed in 2012 and propagated by disability rights organizations such as Not Dead Yet and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the Disability Day of Mourning aims to bring attention to the issue of filicide of disabled children and adults, and the degree to which such murders are treated as different from or more socially acceptable than similar murders of abled people.

The Disability Day of Mourning has become a significant part of the disability rights movement, attracting attention from politicians and the media. In addition to its pioneering by disability rights groups, it has also gained attention and support amongst mainstream disability support-focused organizations.

For more information about UUFHC, visit their website at http://www.uufhc.net.